City employees first responders to house fire

Quick actions from a City of Noblesville utility worker and Noblesville Police officer prevented possible injuries or extensive damage during a residential fire.

At approximately 11:04 a.m. May 24, City of Noblesville Utility Worker Brandon Phifer was in the area of Prairie Crossing Drive conducting storm water inspections, when he noticed smoke coming from a home. When Phifer went to investigate the origin of the smoke, he discovered the residence at 19546 Prairie Crossing Dr. (owned by Gregory and Tammy Cripe) was on fire. At about the time Phifer discovered the fire, Noblesville Police officer Seth Miller pulled up to the residence. Phifer informed Miller about the fire, and Miller notified the Noblesville Fire Dept.

Phifer

“After notification was made to the fire department, Phifer turned on a neighbor’s garden hose and started to fight the fire from the exterior, while Officer Miller knocked on the front door, checking for occupants,” said NFD Division Chief Rick Russell. “Officer Miller was able to get Marley Cripe to come to the door.”

Miller

Cripe, who was home from college, was upstairs sleeping and knew nothing about the fire. Russell said she escaped uninjured.

At approximately 11:09 a.m., NFD crews arrived on the scene to report smoke and flames visible from the back side of the residence. Russell said fire suppression crews made an interior attack on the fire and had it under control at 11:34 a.m.

Russell said the fire originated outside the home in the area where the family was cooking on the grill the night before.

“In this area of fire origin, there was an outside grill chimney starter,” he said. “The grill chimney starter had remains of heated wood chips that were used for cooking the night before. The container was next to the home, in the mulch.”

The fire caused approximately $35,000 damage. There were no injuries or deaths.